Staj

“Anything worth doing is worth doing right.  At this intersection of design and art, I choose to ask what can barely work, what is nearly impossible then the design starts.  I need something worth doing, because I find not doing things right to be intolerable.  So if my plan is to do it right, it is worth pouring myself into.  It can not be a mundane reproduction or regurgitation, simple and easy might kill me.  Simple and easy would probably be the hardest thing I ever tried to make myself do since it would be so insincere.  If other people can do it better, why dedicate my time to it?  I applaud them for their gifts, while searching for my own challenges and relevancy.  Once I have a worthy target, design (a sexy word for my concrete engineering) begins.  These are the greatest days for me, challenging my own straw men, fleshing away anything that isn’t nailed down or doesn’t fight back.  Its a joy ride to chase the dragon holding onto its tail and not giving up until it is tired.  In each functional art piece I create, my private satisfaction is to argue with the concrete about what will remain.  Concrete is amazing. It holds onto its true nature and will not allow its character to be erased, only enhanced.  The concrete dragon will shed its skin multiple times during processing, and as the artist I am the only one privileged to see the many layers of what was birthed into and ingrained in the concrete.  Stubbornly I erase every mark or flaw that looks man made to me.  This wonderful fight brings out the best qualities of the concrete.  When changes can no longer be made, the concrete and I have come to a happy truce.  Everything left is what was always meant to be.  A wonderful collaboration between medium and artist, it will become anything I ask of it but concrete will always have terms and conditions, it leads me to the correct conclusions I just have to be willing to finish strong and stick with it to that very last moment.  I wouldn’t have it any other way.”